Traktor coaching staff press-conference

Karri Kivi, Traktor head coach:
Thank you for coming. Once again I am seeing a lot of journalists, from which I can only infer that hockey is one of the most discussed topics.

Q: Will the strategy be different from previous seasons? What are you planning on changing?
Kivi: I know how the team played several last seasons. Hockey is changing constantly, and so will be Traktor. I am going to change some things, but you will know just when the others will. Some things in team’s strategy that had worked before would not make a difference these days. We are going to adapt to certain opponents.

Q: Based on your previous experience, are you willing to create a strong top line or three more equal ones?
Kivi: Each year is different. We created teams based on their rosters, but were more often than not inclined to have three equally strong lines. The question is how fast the progress of third and fourth lines will be. If they put on strong performances, of course we trust them more.

Q: How much game time do second goaltenders in your teams get?
Kivi: In a season of 60 games forty go to the #1 goaltender, the other twenty – to his substitute. Then again, situations are different, circumstances are different. If both goalies are experienced veterans, then the game might be equally divided between them. If the second goaltender is a rookie, then his experienced partner will of course be in the nets more often. However, current physical shape of goalies also matters.

Q: Did you participate in team’s roster formation?
Kivi: Team management contacted me and asked me about several candidates, but other than that, the roster was full when I was appointed head coach.

Q: Are you a dictator or a liberal coach?
Kivi: I make most decisions on my own, but the opinion of my assistants is also very important for me, and I rely on their professionalism. As far as the strategy goes, this is my prerogative. I can’t decide whether I am a dictator or a democrat; I guess I am somewhere in between. However, discipline is the most important thing in every team I work with.

Q: Since we touched upon the topic of discipline, team management gave some players another chance because they had committed disciplinary infractions. Do you have the concept of second chance in your practice?
Kivi: I like management’s position on this subject. It’s clean sheet for everyone, and everyone has a chance to shine, despite their problems during the last season. I had examples during my career in Finland when people changed, and this change was in a positive direction.

Q: How did you make them change?
Kivi: These are some questions you are asking (laughs). This depends on the training process. I am always ready to help my team. It is clear when a certain player gives it 60 or 40 percent of his potential, and it becomes my problem to help him realize his full potential. We will be watching the whole team and how they are going to perform during the preseason. If a player wants to grow professionally, I can always motivate him and help him get better. If he is lazy and unambitious, then we are going to have trouble.

Q: Legendary Valery Belousov worked with Traktor before you. With that said, will it be harder for you to get the respect of the fans, the players and team management?
Kivi: No it will not. When I take a new team, I always thoroughly study its history. I have been involved with hockey for all my life, and I have utmost respect for anyone who had ever played or coached. I know what Belousov was for Traktor, and I understand that I am the first Western European coach in team’s history. Traktor needs to win in every match – this is the case when no one will have any questions to me. Last week I met with Boris Dubrovski, and once again I felt how important hockey was in Chelyabinsk. I have never experienced anything like this in my professional career.

Q: Were you surprised when Kontiola decided to leave the team?
Kivi: No, I expected that as soon as the World Championship was over.

Q: Will you be paying attention to Chelmet and Belye Medvedi games?
Kivi: I have yet to see their calendar, but if I have some free time, I will definitely visit their games. I like the local hockey school and its young players.

Q: Are yougoing tolearn Russian?
Kivi: It is more difficult than I expected it to be, but I started learning Russian since my first day here. I want to know everything that is happening on the ice and on the bench, and to do that, I need to know the language. It’s hard, but doable nonetheless.

Q: During the last regular season Traktor played 11 goalless games. Will the team stick to the attacking style under your leadership?
Kivi: I definitely like your questions. I was thinking about it, and I knew about this problem, but I really don’t know the reason. As soon as we begin training on the ice, we will focus on that problem. We will analyze some of the matches to try to find the reason behind that.
Yachmenev: Karri and I talked about it yesterday. He wants the forwards to not be afraid to try to take a shot or outplay their opponents. If he can outplay him, he should do it because he knows that behind him are four of his partners who will help him if he loses the puck. They should not just dump the puck in and go to the bench. It is important to save the puck. Forwards’ level of confidence is also very important.

Q: How interesting was the offer from Traktor? In what mood are you starting your tenure here?
Yachmenev: Last season in Rubin was the first coaching experience for me. When Traktor offered me a contract, I did not think long. Chelyabinsk is my home town. Even though I left in 1993, I still returned some time later. It is also very exciting to work with a foreign coach, especially from Finland. All this factors contributed to the positive answer to Traktor’s offer.

Q: Vladimir Krechin called you the best children’s coach in the country several times. Is Traktor yourfirst ‘serious’ team?
Shakhvorostov: No.Last year I worked in Neftekhimik. Therefore, it is my debut, but only in Traktor. 

Q: What physical condition isteam inright now?
Yachmenev: We trained in the gym for two days.No hard work, just basic training sessions for now. We have to know what shape everyone is in. Two days of training on the ice, running sessions, and when we arrive in Garmisch, we will know for sure what physical condition the team is in, and then we will be able to give them some hard training.

Q: It was rumored that there was going to be a Finnish goalies coach in Traktor. Is ittrue?
Kivi: It is hard to say for sure.

Q: Karri, you are not the first Finnish coach in the league. Have you talked about it with some of your compatriots?
Kivi: I spoke with Raimo Summanen, Ari-Pekka Selin, Kari Jalonen and Jukka Jalonen. They all had generally positive things to say, but the final decision was of course mine. I have been following KHL for quite some time and I know very well what is happening in Russian hockey. I have been in contact with some of the Finnish coaches who had previously worked in Russia, like Petri Matikainen or Pekka Rautakallio, so nothing is really surprising for me.

Q: Have they told to focus on anything specific?
Kivi: Let’s just say they gave me lots of useful information.

Q: Karri, do you know who Gagarin was, and are you going to fight for the Cup named after him?
Kivi: I know who Gagarin is, and I am ready to fight for the Cup.

Q: Finnish coaching school has recently become very popular in the hockey world. How was it possible to build such solid system, and in what aspects are Finnish coaches better than the ones from other countries?
Kivi: I always pay a lot of attention to training regimes in other countries, but that’s me. As far as the coaching skills of Finnish coaches are concerned, we pay a lot of attention to strategy and training process. The results are there.

Q: You have a very stylish tie. Did you or your wife choose it?
Kivi: I did.

Q: How do you love to spend your free time in Finland and how are you going to do in Chelyabinsk?
Kivi: My day in Finland and in Russia is almost exactly the same, the only difference is my family is at home in Finland, and I can’t have them here. I love being alone after training sessions. I also like playing hockey myself as well as swimming in ice holes.

Q: After your meeting with Boris Dubrovski, the impression is that you have been recommended to select some of the players. Don’t you think it interferes with your work?
Kivi: Your assumption is wrong. I love watching players perform, and only I decide who will play and who will not.